Nilmar: “The Copa América in Argentina will be the hardest championship ever”

He is one of the biggest revelations of Brazilian football in recent years. His current moment in Villareal makes big European teams not look away from him and the goals that he scores, turning him into one of the feared topscores of Spain League. Nilmar Honorato da Silva, or simply Nilmar, is an agile forward which is convened by Mano Menezes since the coach arrived at the command of the team. The outstanding player spoke exclusively to www.ca2011.com and shows his expectation about the American Cup that will be played in Argentina next month of July.

This moment that you live in Spain is the best time of your career?

“ This season is better than the first one I had here, with no doubt, because I already know more the style of play, the techniques  of training and my team partners. The adaptation was the key for that, and the team change a lot comparing with the last year. We started the season well and luckily, I was able to start scoring goals that gave me confidence. I hope we can qualify for the Champions League, which is the goal we had from the beginning of the year.”

When you assigned the very moment?

“ In the confidence that  gave me this good start. For any player, the key is confidence, but for a forward is even more, because when the head is full of problems, the numbers of goals decreases and ideas on how to score goals disappears. But luckily, now I don’t have this problem.”

As it is constantly being summoned for a team as big as the Brazilian?

“ I always thank God for the opportunity it gives me to defend my country. I really want to play the American Cup, because the competition is more important and difficult that we have before the World Cup 2014. Do not play the rounds to World Cup makes that have a different preparation, and each match must be taken seriously, because there are few chances to convince the coach.”

It is specially for you the fact that the competition happen in Argentina?

“Off course yes. Play the American Cup in Argentina has a special flavor, because they are our main rival and there most people live football in a very passionate way. I’ve played against Argentina in our win by 3 x 1 month in the rounds, and the atmosphere was amazing. I’ve already played matches in Libertadores and South American Cup, but whit the Argentina team it’s more exciting.  I love this kind of tension between Brazil and Argentina. The environment is conducive to playing a sport such as football beautiful.”
They say that all the teams will come with full force. What will be the level of the competition?
” I think that will be the hardest competition ever. The south Americans are much better than the others, strangers’ that in recent year. Uruguay and Paraguay have a great World Cup and are the proof of that. Teams that were previously not so hard, now play an equal footing against the big teams. The difficulty increases every year, but continue to be the favorites Brazil and Argentina, for its history, its players and its quality”

The level is balanced because the weaker teams have improved, or worsened because the strongest?
“The weaker teams have improved a lot. This is the great merit that has achieved these teams without so many traditions. In addition, the big teams there are a renovation, and that takes time to gear for them. This explains what is happening on the continent.  I think the work is very equal, we have to be physically well for the 90 minutes, otherwise our rivals will defeated us. The technology also has helped. There are videos to know the strengths of defects in each of the rivals.”

Speaking of rivals, what can you say about them?

“ We’ll opening the championship against the Venezuela team, and for me is the most difficult match of the group, because they see an improvement  in showing your income and is the beginning of the tournament , it greatly influences the player’s nervous systems. We know that we’re the favorites, but whit Brazil and Argentina the others teams increase their levels. The summed it that these countries have great players, like Róndon who plays for Málaga-ESP and Miku in Getafe-ESP, they do things very well in Spanish football and a great season. In addition, there are other experienced players, because they are in Europe and it helps develop their football.”

Soon after comes the Equator…

“The Equator team has great players too, like Felipe Caicedo, which in the last three world championships, was in two. Nothing is gained with the “T-shirt”. And we end with Paraguay, which is a rival who always gets the games very complicated by their style of play and the players that the team has. Plays very well with Brazil, but we have the talent to make a good group in Argentina.”



What is your personal goal in this American Cup?

“I want to get my way on the team. I want to be able to play with the shirt of my country. Got to get my opportunities and enjoy one or two minutes that I have in the field. The demand is very high, because it has great players, so when you play, I play well and score goals. In the team, you should know how to live with a constant pressure.”

After excluding South Africa, Mano Menezes arrived in the command of selection. How do you qualify his first’s months as a coach of Brazilian’s team?
“Was traded the coach and many players. Brazil thinks in the World Championship that we will organize in 2014 and it wants to form a squad with young people that hang on until the World Cup in the best possible way. In the country, there are many players of great quality, but to form a world champion, must always work to overcome a little every day. These three years that will not play, taking the simple matches like American Cup and Confederations Cup, this will serve to familiarize the cast with the idea of the coach Mano Menezes.”

Who is the best player in the World?

“Messi, with great advantage. He is the world’s number one in this season, if not in the last three years. When I played in Brazil, I look what he was doing and it was a amazing stuff, but confront him and see him on the field is very good. He is the only player that wins you in a match, is a highlight and deserves the best. I believe it continues like that, Messi will be the best in the football’s history.”

Why always stands out the South American player than the others?

“The south American player’s quality is different from everybody. We play on the street. We have something that the European players do not: the mentality, style and basic training very different.”

Playing at home can be a factor against Argentina in July and to Brazil in 2014?

“The location is a weapon that has the advantage and the disadvantage too, because everything can turn against you and the cheers can be turns into insults. But you have to be calm and use that pressure to please you, so that rivals feel this difficult. The argentines are experienced and will know work with our anxiety and hopefully also for us.”



Do you think that will end with the legendary final between Brazil and Argentina?

“I’ve already expected in South Africa World Cup play with Argentina. It is worthy of a World Cup final, because in my opinion are the two best teams in the world. This is the quality of the players, the rivalry that exists between the two teams, and the respect that we have. I always dreamed to play a final against them and I hope that in American Cup I realize my desire.”

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